Over a year ago, the Irish Farmers Journal approached IT Tralee staff with the proposal to make an electrically powered toy tractor to be used for promotional purposes.

The development of toys – both remote-controlled and electrically powered – has been much slower in tractors and agricultural implements than in their consumer equivalents. So the idea of producing a robust electrically powered toy tractor seemed like a good idea.

Discussions with staff in IT Tralee indicated that they were interested in the idea and objectives for the project were drawn up. These were duly passed on to groups of engineering students who worked in teams to design a toy to those specifications.

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The original projects were judged and one team was selected to progress the design and manufacture of the toy tractor.

Safety and the ability to use it to teach the safe use of a machine was an integral component of the initial specifications and the design team had to include these in the final product.

Originally, the concept was for a unit similar to the standard pedal-powered toys in the market but because it had to be designed from scratch and be make-neutral. The unit was completely designed from scratch and is somewhat bigger than the pedal versions.

Because of the objective to use it to help teach safety around machines, the students targeted an age group suitability of around 10 to 16 years old.

They designed a completely functional tractor with pneumatic tyres and plenty of power and traction to be a potentially working implement for the child on a busy working family farm.

The team of students of many nationalities embraced the project with great enthusiasm to produce a product that far exceeded the original objectives, with the help of modern electronics and GPS technologies. It is powered by a 24V lithium-ion battery with about 10 hours of continuous work capability to enable fun and enjoyment when friends visit.

Geo-fence

The tractor is fitted with a geo-fence unit which makes it easy for the parent/guardian to control where the tractor will actually go and not go. This was seen as being very important around busy farmyards.

It has built-in safety bypasses which ensure than the tractor will not move unless the child is seated with seat belt fastened. And it is fitted with proximity sensors at the front to prevent it accidentally, or otherwise, crashing into objects.

The tractor is fitted with an adjustable height double-jaw hitch which can double as a pickup hitch.

This also helps it to be used safely with a range of existing toy implements or homemade ones.

The students did a terrific job with the design, which incorporates about 15cm of telescopic stretch to help it fit children of different ages and natural heights and to enable the tractor to grow with them. This is done externally by ratchet adjustment.

The unit is built to be very solid and, while fitted with a roll bar, it was very stable. Even with three adults standing on the drawbar of an attached trailer, the front wheels remained solid on the ground. The length- and width-to-height ratios are cleverly designed to confer maximum stability.

The tractor unit begins its life journey on the Irish Farmers Journal stand at the upcoming machinery show in Punchestown. Take time to enjoy the engineering capability of the many young men and women who will help design the many new machines and engineering solutions which will be part of our future.